"Thus it is said that one who knows the enemy and knows himself will not be endangered in a hundred engagements."
Sun Tzu, The Art of War.

War on Terrorism

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Marines Charged in Desecration Incident Face Trial

From
a Marine Corps Combat Development Command News Release

QUANTICO, Va. – Charges against two
Marines were referred to trial by courts-martial Sept. 21 for their alleged
involvement in urinating on deceased Taliban fighters and for posing for
unofficial photographs with human casualties in Afghanistan.

The incident allegedly took place during
a counterinsurgency operation near Sandala in the Musa Qala district of
Afghanistan’s Helmand province on or about July 27, 2011. The charges were
referred to courts-martial by Lieutenant General Richard P. Mills, the
Commanding General of Marine Corps Combat Development Command.

Marine Corps Staff Sgts. Joseph W.
Chamblin and Edward W. Deptola also were charged for other misconduct that
allegedly took place during the same operation, including being derelict in
their duties by failing to properly supervise junior Marines, failing to
require junior Marines to wear their personal protective equipment, failing to
stop and report the misconduct of junior Marines, failing to report the
negligent discharge of a grenade launcher, and failing to stop the
indiscriminate firing of weapons.

Deptola also is charged with failing to
stop the unnecessary damaging of Afghan compounds and wrongfully and
indiscriminately firing a recovered enemy machine gun.

Last month, three Marines received
nonjudicial punishment for misconduct that came to light during several
investigations into the desecration incident, shown in a video that became
public and circulated widely on the Internet in January. Disciplinary actions
regarding other Marines will be announced at a later date, officials said.

The charges are accusations against the
individual Marines, officials emphasized, and the accused are presumed innocent
and are guaranteed the right to due process under the Uniform Code of Military
Justice.

“There are other pending cases related
to this incident. In order to preserve the integrity of the investigations and
to ensure fair and impartial legal proceedings in the future, we will not
discuss evidence or specific findings of the investigations,” the command said
in a written statement. “We will be as forthright as possible while preserving
the rights of the accused and the fairness and integrity of the military
justice process.”